Under cabinet lights are usually used in kitchens and bars to highlight “work” zones or to divide the space into different sections. With the buyer’s guide that Westside Wholesale has prepared for you below, selecting the under cabinet lights that will suit you the most will only take few minutes.

The first factor to pay attention to is the type of lights that an under cabinet fixture uses. The most common options that can be found in every hardware store include LED, fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. Since the type of a lighting fixture influences all of the other factors that will be described below, it is important to pay additional attention when selecting it.

The most common light bulb that comes with almost every lighting fixture is incandescent. This is also the oldest lighting technology that is why it uses the greatest amount of energy and has the shortest life expectancy if compared with other types. The advantages of incandescent light bulbs include affordable price and wide range of fixtures that they can be used with.

Fluorescent lighting technology allows making linear light bulbs that happen to be installed in the majority of under cabinet lighting fixtures. Such lights offer wide selection of color options in addition to smooth and reliable performance. Moreover, they serve longer than incandescent bulbs and can be found in every hardware store in case an under cabinet light bulb requires a replacement.

LED is the most efficient lighting technology that exists today. However, the price of LED under cabinet lights makes them unappealing for people who have average budgets. Even still, it is important to note that the money you will spend on purchasing an LED light will be returned in the first month or two of use. More than that, you won’t have to replace an LED bulb for 10-15 years.

After the type of your future under cabinet lighting is selected, you need to consider the following factors:

Performance. Performance depends on the size of the fixture and the light bulb that it is equipped with;

Amount of light that is specified before you select the fixture and is closely related to its performance;

Light color that solely depends on your personal preferences and the aspiration to fit the new fixtures’ design into existent décor of the room;

Life expectancy of a light bulb and the amount of energy that it will use when operating. Never select the fixture that has the lowest price, calculate the operating cost of each light bulb option and then compare the results. You will be surprised how much money you will spend if you go with the cheapest option.